INGENIEUR
WAY FORWARD FOR GRADUATE ENGINEERS
In summary , graduate employability seems to be a difficult issue to overcome at this moment in time . However , to assist them , graduate engineers must be pushed through a short course where they are cautioned and guided by professionals and practitioners and industry captains . These courses may be championed by Government departments , professional bodies , learned societies , and experienced subject matter experts to focus graduate engineers on the essential requirements that employers are looking for to help them make informed decisions . There are still job opportunities in the SBSR market sector but they are not in abundance . To be selective and choosy may not be the best option for a new graduate , but rather it might be better to grab what is available , adopt and adapt quickly to the working environment as a first step and take it on from there .
What matters most is that first step to get a job . Afterwards , it is how the graduate grows within the industry . In the SBSR sector , graduate engineers can choose many sub-specialisation / departments / clusters . Amongst these are :
1 . Design and detail design including production drawings ;
2 . Production , dockside outfitting , machine shop , painting and blasting , piping and ventilation and deck machineries ; 3 . Sales and Marketing ; 4 . Research and Development ; 5 . Quality Control and Assurance ; 6 . Classification societies ; 7 . Commercial shipping maintenance and repair teams ; 8 . Offshore platform operations and maintenance ; 9 . Computing and IT .
Graduate engineers have choices but it is not necessary to pick the best one but rather one that is available , to begin a career and slowly work within the system .
CONCLUSION
In conclusion , earlier in 2011 , Malaysia charted its course for the SBSR sector and in that ten-year strategic plan ending in 2020 , the industry should have flourished and be among the top sectors locally and beginning to make its footprint in the global setting . However , impacted by the global oil price crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic , Malaysia along with many nations in the world has suffered .
Therefore , the SBSR industry must find ways to remain relevant and sustainable . Efforts from stakeholders must be highly focused and the Government must play its role to assist in developing the industry . When business recovers , employers will retain their best employees , create new job opportunities and hasten the process of hiring . Simultaneously on the supply side , jobseekers will be able to leverage on the current labour situation and expand their skills and knowledge . Engaging in Government-led initiatives would be a good starting point for young graduates as it will raise their employability in the labour market . The imbalance between demand and supply within the labour market will be rectified , thereby increasing the likelihood of an acceleration in productivity growth : a dream come true for the SBSR industry in particular and the nation as a whole . In essence , graduate employability will be improved .
REFERENCE i
ii iii
iv v
Jurutera Bulletin , IEM , Feb 2012 , ‘ Marine Engineering & Naval Architecture – Relevance in Maritime Industry Development ’, page 5 . Malaysian Shipbuilding / Ship Repair Strategic Plan 2020 , MIGHT & AMIM , 2011 . Malaysian Shipbuilding / Ship Repair Strategic Industry Report 2017 / 2018 , MIGHT , 2017 , pp25 . http :// www . oilcrudeprice . com Malaysian SBSR Industry ‘ Positioning in the Industry 4.0 ’, MIGHT , 2018 , pp 52 .
44 VOL 83 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020